The Joke
by shogg0th
Summary: A drabble on what happened after the three sand siblings left Konoha. Takes place after the first chuunin exam. Oneshot.


Baki lead his cell out of the forest's edge. Glancing behind he noticed the lines that creased their young, newly orphaned faces. Temari's was smudged green compliments of the foliage that she had been too apathetic to keep from slapping her in the face. Kankurou kept his head down but his posture was surprisingly relaxed. It was impossible to predict how they would react once they reached Suna. Baki focused on Gaara. The small boy was lagging and every few miles would glance back towards Konoha. Worried about the strain upon his cell, Baki called a halt for the night.

Gaara closed his eyes and blocked the hum of animal life that harmonized with the rustle of the leaves in the trees. Searching for human noise all he could hear was the creaking of leather as Kankurou repaired Karasu, and the crunching of Temari consuming a grain and nut bar. The Uzumaki boy had spoken so lovingly of Sakura, a girl whose only talents seemed to lay in warding off the abhorred cloying sensation that the lack of sound created.

Gaara bit into his own joyless dinner and considered his options now that his father was dead. Suna needed a new Kazekage. "Baki?"

"Aa."

"Who will be Kazekage?" Gaara kept his eyes focused on his hands, as Baki had not even glanced in his direction.

Groaning, Baki spared a few glimpses at the boy. "The Counsel will probably take over those duties unless a viable candidate is chosen."

Gaara waited. Neither of his siblings voiced any concern. Gaara had always known that his purpose was to be used as a tool for his father and as his eyes moved to the consternate faces of his siblings he realized that they had been used as well. Although it seemed that they had yet to realize this.

Temari was sneaking peeks at her baby brother. No matter how many corpses his sand consumed she was unable to stop thinking of him in that way. He had been disturbingly pensive ever since his defeat. She had expected more of a tantrum after his first loss, but was only slightly relieved to discover him more preoccupied.

Karasu's joint popped causing a piece of metal twine to snap. Kankurou spouted a string of curses as a slick jet flew from the new wound. Gaara's eyes darted to the sticky red clumps of sand. Temari's throat tightened, fearful that the smell of blood had aroused her baby brother. She did not want to loose any more family today. Gaara did not move. He watched as Kankurou wrapped his hand, careful to keep the material taut against his flesh.

Gaara noted the tension that fled from Temari as she tied the ends of the bandage. He turned his head away. Did she really believe that Kankurou's life had been in danger? In the short year that Gaara had gotten to know his estranged siblings he had never once let their lives be endangered. He always eliminated threats, although at times he wondered if this was a conscious decision. A pang of jealousy hit his as he realized that, though team seven wasn't related, they still had conversation and joy and trust. He was tired of silence.

"Naruto said," Gaara began as he wistfully gazed upwards. "Man who stuffs his own sausage, pounds his own meat."

It was the first time that Gaara had caused the night to ring with mirthful laughter. Kankurou rocked back and forth as his arms wrapped around his mid-section, which was becoming happily sore. "That seemed awful random." He gasps between chuckles. Baki snorted and walked into the night leaving the siblings alone.

An innocent smirk played on Gaara's lips. "I'm going to be the next Kazekage."

"That was perhaps," Temari laughed, "even more random."

The elation on Gaara's face distorted into a serious expression. Sand flowed from the bloated gourd and came to rest on the palms of Gaara's hands. "I'm tired of being a tool. Doing other people's dirty work. I am not just a killing machine" Confusion replaced laughter. "Aren't you ever just sick of being less than human in someone else's eyes?" Understanding crept into three pairs of eyes. "If I were to become Kazekage, I would need support."

The tiny particles had begun to cut through the soft flesh causing tiny welts that finally broke open and bled. Kankurou had already removed his bandage and created a matching wound on his other hand. Temari followed suit and the children of the sand formed a circle of three, palms pressed together allowing the blood to merge and fall onto the ground. "Explicit trust," Gaara said.

Later that night, Kankurou eyed the still form of his baby brother knowing he was still awake. He found it odd that after so many deaths he continued to think of Gaara that way. He quietly edged closer and whispered "A sand nin, a leaf nin, and a cloud nin walk into a bar…"


End file.
